Volume 1

A treatise on the plague and pestilential fevers : with some useful hints, for the better preservation and cure. Together with some observations, on the pestilential fever now raging among the horned cattle.

Date:: 1751

Credit: A treatise on the plague and pestilential fevers : with some useful hints, for the better preservation and cure. Together with some observations, on the pestilential fever now raging among the horned cattle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$[ ] at the firft, fuffers the principal Pejihoufe {dei Convalefcejis) to be fettled within four Paces of his own Houfe. The Experiments in the hm^ fournaly pro«»- ving, That the Plague is not conveyed by hu^ man Subftances^ and far le£s by their Efiuvia; are as plain and undifpu,table as the former; Thefe Experiments not admitting the Poffibi- lity of doubting of their being .made in the moft exadt, and moft perfedl Circumftances. And in the Account of the Plague which ra¬ ged fo terribly at Conjiantinople m the Year 543, which almoft confumed Mankind, re-p lated by Dr. Howel from Procopius^ it is re-* corded : That no Phyftcian^ or other^ caught the Difeafe by touching the fick Bodies; and that many continued free^ tho\ they tended and buried infedtedPerfons, Now, omitting Num¬ bers of Experiments (better every one of them, than ever were brought for proving the palling of the Plague by Contagion;) fuch as are made by the Dreffings of Surgeons, ta¬ ken from the Plague Sores; the Impunity of People, raOily being in Bed with a Perfon who dies of the Plague, we may content ourfclves with one Example of above a thou- fand Experiments, which is' taken from the forementioned excellent Record, Journal of the Plague at MarfeilleSy where we are told : p. 24. Many Women who fuckled ChiU dren die of the Contagion; and the Infants are found crying in their Cradles^ when the Bodies of their Mothers or Nurfes are taken away$